The mood in Ponyville should have been happy, festive, and practically jovial considering the Running of the Leaves was upon them, and also applebuck season was here. Harvest time had come and Winter was around the corner, meaning Hearth's Warming was also closing in. However, the headline on the front page of the Ponyville Tribunal was anything but jovial, along with the pictures there as well.

"MYSTERIOUS KILLER IN PONYVILLE! THREE DEAD--NO SURVIVORS!"

Skyward had seen the headline and had immediately wanted to go out and ask questions, but Twilight cautioned her against doing so, telling her this might rouse suspicion. A curfew had been placed since the killer only apparently struck at night and this had happened close to the eastern boundary of the Everfree Forest. The Haylian unicorn was re-reading the four day old article, her royal blue eyes scanning the paper with a scowl that could have frightened off a timberwolf. The article had denoted the corpses had bite marks that looked rather reptilian in nature, and they were wondering if it was the work of a young hydra or even a giant snake. There were also cuts made by a large blade--but Skyward had been asleep in her bed during the time of the attack, so she was in the clear, Twilight vouching for her since both ponies had indeed been asleep at that point.

She had a sneaking suspicion this was not the work of a pony--the blade cuts and the ravaged corpses looked a little too familiar. Hard scrutiny had fallen on the Diamond Dogs near the area to be sure, but they hadn't been active, mostly because of Rarity's reputation. The Haylian pony cursed under her breath as she threw down the newspaper and stalked outside--she was wearing full armor, her sword and shield on her back. She knew she was being watched because of this, but as she had stated to the police ponies, that if whoever was doing this tried to breach the Golden Oaks Library, they would find 30 inches of cold steel at their throat.

"Hey, Skyward!"

Skyward turned about to see Applejack at her stand near the library, and she trotted over with a friendly nod. "Well met, Applejack. I trust thine business is going well?"

The orange farmpony flicked her blond mane out of her face. "Well as it can be--it's slow today, but everypony's got a reason t' stay inside."
Skyward stomped an armored hoof. "Something dost not sit well with me about this, Applejack. Those cuts and the marks on the bodies...if one could get a closer look..."

Applejack shook her head. "Short of ya diggin' up th' bodies, sugarcube, ya ain't gonna get anywhere near that."

Skyward removed her helm, hanging it on her side before producing a couple of bits for some apple juice, which Applejack handed over. The Haylian pony sighed heavily--Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. She knew her friend wanted to DO something--but she couldn't draw suspicion to herself, plus she was already under some scrutiny because of the fact she did have a shield and a sword. “One heard school was cancelled again for the younglings…did one of them spot the killer?”

Applejack shrugged as she pushed back her hat. “Dunno. Twist said she saw somethin’ movin’—they went near th’ Everfree Forest for a field trip today, an’ she said she saw somethin’ lurkin’ behind a tree. It was standin’ on two legs, not four like us ponies. Coulda’ been a Diamond Dog she saw.”

“When last one looked, Diamond Dogs do not carry swords, but lances, and most of them art thicker in the head than molasses in the dead of Winter.” Skyward snorted as she drank her juice, and Applejack guffawed heartily, earning a smirk from the Haylian mare.

The orange earth pony shook her head, brushing her blond mane out of her green eyes. “Huh. Thinkin’ I’ll pack up for th’ day. Too slow fer mah tastes.”

Finishing her juice, Skyward flipped the empty bottle away into a nearby trash bin and cocked her head at her friend. “Wilt thou be wanting any help?”

“Sure! Grab those apple baskets over there an’ we can git back t’ th’ farm.”

With combined teamwork, the two mares packed up her apple stand and made the journey back to the farm. It was eerily quiet, never mind the increased security from the Ponyville Police and the Canterlot Guard. Skyward kept an eye out on the brush and trees as they walked the wooded path back to Sweet Apple Acres.

The Haylian mare helped Applejack put her items and the stand away, and followed the earth pony into the orchard to aid her with applebucking. Having practiced on trees in the Everfree Forest prior to this catastrophe, she was able to now buck trees without needing to remove her hoof-cups first, but she was willing to do so if Applejack asked her to remove them.

“So, are ya free th’ next few days?”

“One should be, Applejack. None of the others need mine aid for anything, and Rarity hath no need for gems anytime soon.”

“Wait till’ Hearth’s Warmin’ comes around! There’ll be parties, singing, lots of amazing holiday treats… Hey, did ya wan’ t’ spend it with us? We’d love t’ have ya over!”

Skyward blinked, putting down an empty apple basket as she regarded the orange mare in surprise. “Art thou certain? One does not wish to be a bother, Applejack…”

“Nah! Ye’re more than welcome, sugarcube! Besides, we’re all gonna go to the Crystal Empire for Hearth’s Warmin’ Day…we can all spend time before Hearth’s Warmin’ proper!”

“What about the Diamond Dog problems they hath been having? Princess Cadence seemed quite worried—one wonders if it is safe to go to the Crystal Empire…”

“Ah, don’ worry ‘bout it none. She’s got Shinin’ Armor an’ the Crystal Empire backin’ her up, an’ if somethin’ does happen, Princess Celestia an’ Princess Luna’ll come t’ th; rescue.”

The Haylian mare was about to say something else, when movement out of the corner of her right eye alerted her to the fact they were not alone. She turned her head, almost lazily…and her eyes widened in shock—shock evolving to horror when she realized what it was.

Skyward spotted the creature before Applejack did...it was a bipedal lizard with green scales and evil looking orange reptilian eyes, well about a head taller than she was. It wore crude leather armor, but the sword it held was anything but crude. She roared and grabbed Applejack in her magic, teleporting her friend out of danger just as the sword came swiping down, cutting a few hairs off off Applejack's tail. The lizard hissed in anger at missing its target, only to have Skyward fire off a bolt of lightning at the vile thing. It ducked and snarled at her, flicking its tongue in and out as Skyward drew her sword and shield. She reared and charged at the lizard, who hissed at her as she approached.

Applejack stood under and to the left of one of her trees, staring at the large lizard with horror and disgust. "Wha...what th' HAY is that thing?"

Skyward leaped to the left as the lizard jumped at her, taking a big swing at her with its own weapon. Though it was quick on its feet it was obviously slow when it came to counterattacks--Skyward teleported behind it and slashed at its unprotected back. The lizard creature screeched in pain, greenish ichor staining Skyward's blade as she pulled away just as the lizard took a swing at her with its tail. She dodged the strike and parried another slash with her own sword, fighting it for dominance as she attempted a shield bash. The lizard however, swung its tail again and smacked her in the side, sending her sprawling against a tree, dazing her and she lay there, stunned for a few minutes. Hissing in triumph, the monstrous bipedal reptile closed in on its prey.

But the monster had apparently forgotten there was another pony close by. Applejack's fear and revulsion hadn't faded, but it had diminished, especially when she saw Skyward hit the tree and go down, clearly stunned from the strike...

Knowing Skyward needed her help, Applejack rushed the lizard...she twisted around and bucked the beast as hard as she could. This was no buck meant for kicking an apple tree--oh no, this was a strike meant to hurt. And hurt it did--there was a sickening crack when her powerful back hooves met the upper leg and knee joint of the bipedal reptile, followed by a wet snap and an ear-rending howl of agony.
The beast was unable to support itself on the injured leg, it was trying to stand, but could not. Applejack's kick had done more than shatter the kneecap and joint...there was also a jagged piece of bloodied bone also poking out of its thigh. It hissed at Applejack venomously, revealing rows of sharp teeth and a black forked snakelike tongue which flickered at her.

The farmpony pawed her left forehoof, waiting to see if the thing would try to rush her...

But just as it tried to lunge at her, it suddenly went down with an earthy thump, followed by the bonechilling sound of steel driving through flesh--the lizard screamed in pain, but it was quickly silenced, that same sword carving a bloody path through its neck, neatly severing its head from its body...

Skyward stood atop its back, sword stained in green gore, her shield bearing flecks of greenish scales, and she savagely stomped her hooves on its body a few times before she jumped off of the corpse and ran over to Applejack.

"Applejack! Art thou well?"

"Ye-yeah...Ah...wha...what was that...that thing?"

Skyward turned and glared at the body, lighting her horn--the corpse shimmered before it suddenly began to shake and quiver, a crackling noise filling both the ponies' ears, smoke rising from the carcass as she burned it from the inside out, turning it to ash.

"That was a Lizalfos. A bipedal lizard, possessed of great speed, but medium intelligence--thankfully this one cannot breathe fire like its cousins the Dinolfos. It can wield a sword and shield but it should be taken out from a distance, and 'tis easier to fight in a group. But 'tis as I feared--that Lizalfos should not hath been here."

Applejack looked at her friend in horror. "Ya mean t' say that..."

Skyward looked at the farmpony with a dark expression. "Aye. Lizalfos are beasts native to Hayrule--namely dark caverns, or heavily shadowed areas. If there art a portal here we must find it, and quickly. I must close it before more beasts come, or before anypony else dies or is hurt."

"Let's go find Twi. Maybe she can locate th' portal."

"I shalt go ask her. Ye need to warn thy kith and kin--tell them to stay inside, that the killer is near and caution shouldst be taken! Arm thyselves and remember—if they try to force their way in, show no mercy!"

Skyward galloped off, while Applejack ran off to find her brother and the farmhooves. The Haylian unicorn ran for Ponyville, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. She dashed over the bridge, dodged past Daisy with a hasty 'Pardon me!' and cleared a cart coming from the left with a powerful jump. Landing on the other side, she rushed towards the library and teleported clean through the doorway.

“TWILIGHT!” she bellowed, and was rewarded by a crash, a flurry of paper and several yelps. The lavender unicorn came out of the basement, looking confused and annoyed; with several pieces of paper stuck in her mane and a quill hovering next to her in a nimbus of magenta magic.

“Skyward, what in sweet Celestia’s mane are you…”

Skyward slammed an armored hoof against the floor with a resounding bang, her royal blue eyes hard as gemstones as she ripped off her helm to better address the lavender colored mare. “We've no time--Ponyville’s butcher hath been found and slain, but I suspect there art more of them. A Lizalfos was found in Applejack’s orchard; we just slew the vile beast, but thou must sound the alarm and lead the police and guards away from there. There may be a portal open…one must needs find it and close it, right away, before they find it first!”

Upon hearing this, Twilight was both horrified and gratified; gratified to know the killer had been dealt with, but horrified to know that enemies of Hayrule were indeed coming into Equestria.

“Spike! Skyward, should I send a message to the Princesses?”

“Not just yet. Pen one, but send it not. Mayhap if we art lucky; one can close the portal before anymore come through. One cannot stress this enough: get everypony inside their homes; alert Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy and prepare thyselves to kill anything that comes into this village that art not of Equestrian origin.”

Spike fidgeted, looking nervous, and he spoke up. “M-maybe we should tell the Princesses anyway. Just…just in case. I mean…not that you’re not strong or anything, Skyward, but…”

The Haylian mare regarded the young dragon thoughtfully as she straightened her armor and flicked her sword, testing its edge before sheathing it with a ‘click’. “What say thou, Spike?”

The purple dragon fidgeted before he looked up at Skyward. “I’m saying it might be a better idea to alert them in case something goes wrong. They should keep an eye on the village, you know?”

The two unicorns looked at one another, before Twilight nodded her head. “He has a point. This will go to the Princesses and nopony else.”

Skyward nodded grimly, replacing her helm on her head. “All right. I beg of thee, however; make sure thine message is destroyed completely after it reaches the Princesses’ hooves. Twilight, make sure nopony leaves the village. Set up wards if thou must.”

With that, Skyward teleported back outside and dashed out of the village, going behind houses and buildings to avoid other ponies. Spike blew his dragon fire over the message he had scribbled down as Twilight took off in the direction of Carousel Boutique.

Skyward rushed down the road, kicking up a cloud of dust as she streaked back towards Sweet Apple Acres. She charged into the orchard and searched about the trees where the vile beast had been standing before he tried to slay Applejack. She cast her gaze about the ground before she spotted scratches and footprints in the dirt to the northwestern side of the tree, and she drew her sword, pricking her ears for odd noises as she stalked into the fruit laden trees. The claw prints weren’t too old—about give or take a half an hour. This worried her and she paced forward, sniffing the air and cocking her ears, slowly drawing her sword so the shink-hiss of metal wouldn’t alert her enemy.
She wasn’t sure where she was on the farm by this point—there were just rows and rows of apple trees as far as they eye could see. But she was finding evidence of the Lizalfos—shed scales, clawprints, and even apple cores...

And when she rounded one particularly large apple tree, her eyes blazed in silent rage at what she saw, half hidden under the exposed roots of this particular tree. The half rotted remains of a pale blue pony with a yellow mane and tail…whatever was left of him…she could tell it was a male, the Lizalfos hadn’t eaten THAT part of him yet. She shook her head in sadness—she’d come back later to let Applejack know about the body.

“Rest in peace, son of Equestria. Thine untimely demise hath been avenged. Thou died with honor, and thou shalt be returned to thine kin.”

She saluted the body before she turned and began walking away from the tree. Her enhanced magical senses had picked up something emanating deeper in the orchard, and she bared her teeth—had these wretches set up their vile camp here in her friend’s fruit grove?

A sickly sweet smell soon filled her nose and she barely stifled a cough; it was the scent of rotting fruit. Now she could see visible damage; broken trees, pockmarked apples, rotting corn and pumpkins. The things were crawling with maggots and positively swarming with flies; the trees had withering leaves and from where the farm house was, she knew the farm ponies wouldn’t have seen this from their position. Or smelled it for that matter, unless the wind blew it the right way. She also saw half dug up holes and dark, shadowy areas…she scanned the area for any signs of movement or the gleam of a sword.

She snuck around the edge of the rude camp, choking back a cough at the evil smells filling her nostrils…it looked like the Lizalfos she had slain with Applejack’s help had been the sole inhabitant. Which was good, but why all the fruit? It was just rotting away—she knew they didn’t eat fruits or vegetables: they were strictly carnivores…

A deep piggish grunt came from the side, and she turned around, bringing her sword to bear—and spotted a large boar off to the side. There was a tattered leather saddle tied onto the beast’s back in a haphazard manner, and it was clearly sleeping. Was it the Lizalfos’s mount?

Far as she knew the damn things didn’t ride...or had things changed? She knew Ganondorf’s Bulbins and the Moblins rode them…but a glance around the camp told her that there were none of the sort about…the camp would be bigger for one and there would be stinking piles of refuse and random piles of literal crap from the inhabitants…a Goddesses-forsaken mess to be sure. She eyed the boar—it was sound asleep. It definitely didn’t belong here. She snuck over to the boar, angled her sword…

With one quick movement she sliced neatly through the huge pig’s jugular—the huge porcine jerked, snorting blood from his mouth and nose as misfiring nerves sent messages that would never reach its intended section. She cleaned her sword on the trampled grass as it jerked and twitched before settling into the stillness of death. Her horn lit up as she invoked her magic—sinking the rotting vegetation into the ground, burning the body of the boar and covering the rest with earth, filling the hole with more dirt and leaving the place more or less untouched…if you didn’t count the withered trees and half-dead grass.

The tracks from the recently deceased victims led further in, and following those tracks led across the river into the Everfree Forest. Sunset was starting to fall—Celestia’s sun was slowly starting to set by this point, and Luna’s moon would soon come into the sky. But it was also when Skyward stepped into a clearing, did she want to facehoof in disbelief.

She was in the area where the Nightmare Night statue was. And right off to the left of the statue was a swirling purplish vortex; it was hovering in place, just a constant twisting pool of energy.

How had nopony seen this? Then again, probably nopony came this way after Nightmare Night was over anyway, so it was a given…

Skyward bit her lower lip—the last time she had seen something like this, it had meant to be her demise. But she had to close the portal. If there was only one Lizalfos, and one boar, then she had to close it then and there by finding out what was on the other side. She approached the portal, but then stopped short, shaking her head.

“Thou need a focus to return, thou idiot…remember thy lessons!”

Glancing around, she looked up at the statue of Nightmare Moon, and snorted in amusement.

“Pray forgive me, Princess Luna. I shalt restore this when I hath the chance to do so.”

Her horn lit with silver-blue light and she enveloped the statue in a haze of shimmering light, chanting words in ancient Haylian under her breath. The statue glowed brightly, before a thin thread of light streamed from the stone horn-tip to her own, before vanishing. Nodding her head in satisfaction, Skyward took a deep breath and marched forward into the portal proper…